The Indian captain returns to the top score with 79 to take India to 223. The South African fast bowlers finish with four wickets; Left arm fast bowler Jenson took three wickets
Batting was challenging. There was a cloud cover, the pitch sported grass and the surface offered seam movement and bounce.
Virat Kohli kept his best reserve under these conditions. His 79 character shined in India’s total of 223 after he was selected to bat.
India bounced back with Jasprit Bumrah, who took the ball to left-hander Dean Elgar and caught it at first slip. a major strike.
By stumps, on the first day of the third Freedom Test at Newlands on Tuesday, South Africa were 17 for one. Decisive on the boil.
After the fall of Mayank Agarwal in the 13th over, Kohli was dismissed for 33 for two and was ninth for 211 when Kagiso Rabada dismissed him.
Kohli started with cover-driving left-hander Marco Jensen. He didn’t miss a single shot that got him so many runs. However, Kohli was conscious about which ball to stroke.
flashy match-ups
The match between Kohli and Rabada in his 50th Test was fascinating. Rabada fires an inch outside, Kohli leaves.
When Rabada pitched it, Kohli covered it, when he made a mistake in the line, Kohli shoved him away with his hips.
Kohli’s game had footwork, balance and timing – the three key elements that defined batting.
And the way Kohli swung into his off and cover drives, executed the on drives, essayed the flick and straightened the ball. was exemplary.
He defended with assurance and found gaps with the accuracy of a surgeon.
India suffered a setback in the beginning. KL Rahul, set to play a delivery too close to his off-stump, succumbs to a delivery from Duane Olivier, which landed short and bounced around his off-stump.
Rabada throws the teasing line. Mayank Agarwal gets to go for a boundary around the off stump from one end.
Mayank gets open with these balls and being side-on will give him a better chance to negotiate these balls.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli started rebuilding the innings.
Pujara stood firm, wielding caution with aggression. In between periods of solid defence, he pulled Olivier behind the ropes, and then turned and saw Lungi Ngidi go for a boundary.
Some smart bowling from Janssen after lunch ended Pujara’s (43) stint. The versatile left-handed batsman switches the wicket to score and brings the ball to the right hand side with an angle.
Ajinkya Rahane didn’t last long, carried by a fuller delivery from Rabada, who caught his line and took the lead. Interestingly, Rahane reviewed but replays confirmed Nick.
Rishabh Pant supported Kohli and applied himself. The ‘talks’ that the team management had with him worked out.
The southpaw was not stroke-less but batted more responsibly. A back-foot punch through cover and Rabada stood out.
Pant (27) added 51 valuable runs for the fifth wicket with Kohli as he ended up playing in the hands of a wide alley, attempting to glide off Jenson’s delivery of extra bounce.
R Ashwin did not last long, he edged a ball from Jenson to an angle. If you ‘feel’ for these balls, you are in trouble.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj finally saw some action as Shardul Thakur was caught by Keegan Pietersen at short cover. Replays confirmed that the catch was clean.
The Indian innings was soon wrapped up. In his milestone Test, the reliable Rabada scored four runs. And the impressive Jensen took three.
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